Departmental Entertainment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will list businesses and individuals entertained by him and his Department at public expense in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how much money his Department has spent on corporate entertainment in each of the last seven years.

Stephen Timms: In respect of the Treasury's spending on corporate entertainment, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Osborne) on 15 December 2004, Official Report, column 1084W. The details of the businesses and individuals entertained by the Department could be provided only at disproportionate cost, because this information is not recorded centrally in electronic form. All expenditure on official entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in "Government Accounting".

EU Funding

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 9 December 2004, Official Report, column 653W, on EU funding, what the sum total is to date in real terms that has not been signed off by the Court of Auditors, broken down by year; and what the UK percentage share of the total EU budget was for each year.

Stephen Timms: pursuant to his reply, 11 January 2005, Official Report, c. 440W
	My earlier answer inadvertently contained some incorrect figures, for which I apologise. It should have read as follows:
	The figures for the years 1994 onwards (when the annual Statement of Assurance was introduced), showing the total for each year and the sum total to date, and the UK's percentage share, are as follows:
	
		
			  Total budget not signed off (£ million)(1) Percentage UK contribution(2) (Post-abatement) 
		
		
			 1994 43,903 10.00 
			 1995 51,627 13.64 
			 1996 58,388 11.56 
			 1997 52,055 11.86 
			 1998 51,286 15.24 
			 1999 49,896 13.43 
			 2000 47,952 15.76 
			 2001 46,719 9.59 
			 2002 49,161 13.07 
			 2003 60,854 11.92 
			 Total budget not signed off (1992 to 2003) 511,841  
		
	
	(1) Taken from data published in Table 1A of respective European Community Finances White Papers, less administrative expenditure (also less pre-accession aid expenditure in 2002). Latest White Paper (Cm 6134) (ISBN 0–10–161342–3) was published on 22 April 2004 and the figures for the period 1999 to 2003 have been taken from this.
	2 Calculated from data published in European Commission Reports on the Allocation of EU Operating Expenditure.
	It is important to note that the failure of any part of the Community Budget to gain a positive Statement of Assurance does not mean that the whole of that part of the budget was misspent. Rather, it means that the European Court of Auditors found a number of errors in the small sample audited in any particular year.

EU Structural Funding

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on the net UK contribution to the EU of returning structural fund expenditure to national control for the 2007–13 funding period.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 18 January 2005
	The UK's proposals for reform of structural and cohesion funds for the period 2007–13 would not "return structural fund expenditure to national control", but rather would focus EC funding on the poorest member states where it would have greatest effect, under an overarching EU framework.

Psychiatric Patient Deaths

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many patients have died in psychiatric hostels in the West Midlands in each of the last three years.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jim Cunningham, dated 27 January 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many patients have died in psychiatric hostels in the West Midlands in each of the last three years. (210798)
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2003. Figures showing deaths of patients in psychiatric hostels are not separately available. Available figures are for deaths occurring in psychiatric institutions. Figures for the years 2001 to 2003 are given in the attached table.
	
		Deaths in psychiatric institutions(2), West Midlands(3), 2001–03(4)
		
			  Number of deaths 
		
		
			 2001 219 
			 2002 215 
			 2003 258 
		
	
	(2) Psychiatric institutions were defined as NHS and non-NHS psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric units and psychiatric security hospitals.
	(3) Deaths to residents of West Midlands Government office region.
	(4) Figures are for deaths occurring in 2001 to 2003.

Red Diesel

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much red diesel was consumed in each month since the fuel duty rate provisions set in the 2003 Budget took effect; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much red diesel has been consumed in each month since the introduction of new fuel duty rates on 1 September 2004; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Hydrocarbon oils clearance figures are published by HM Customs and Excise in the Hydrocarbon Oils Bulletin a copy of which can be found on the UK Trade Information website www.uktradeinfo.com.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of the last two years.

Charlotte Atkins: For details of the cost of ministerial travel, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 January 2005, Official Report, columns 85–86W, by my hon. Friend, the Minister for the Cabinet Office
	The cost of taxis used by the Department in 2003 was £87,254.42, and in 2004 was £58,810.33. These figures refer to the central Department only, excluding the Agencies who do not record taxi costs separately. The information for the Agencies could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Railways

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will allow community rail partnerships to have powers to re-open dismantled railway lines and operate the railway; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: I refer my hon. Friend to the response given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Charlotte Atkins) during the Adjournment Debate on the "Colne to Skipton Railway line" on 12 January 2005, Official Report, column 132WH.

Roads

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what criteria he uses to determine whether a road has (a) national and (b) regional significance;
	(2)  whether (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have visited Hindhead to assess the proposals for the A3 Tunnel; and what factors led him to decide that the A3 between Portsmouth Harbour and London did not have national significance.

David Jamieson: The Government's consultation paper—"Devolving Decision Making: A Consultation on Regional Funding Allocations"—set out our proposals to establish regional transport funding allocations. The consultation paper explained that funding decisions on routes of national and international significance would continue to be made on a national basis. To be regarded as such, a route has to satisfy all of the following criteria:
	To have average daily traffic flows, along the length of the route, of more than 60,000 vehicles
	To link at least two of the top 20 English cities by population; or link one of the top 20 cities with an airport/seaport or Wales/Scotland
	To carry heavy goods vehicle traffic equal to or in excess of 15 per cent. as a percentage of all traffic, as an average along the length of the route
	To be represented on the European Union's trans-European transport network
	In some marginal cases we applied these criteria with a degree of flexibility. However, the A3 satisfies just one of the criteria: it provides a link between London and the port of Portsmouth. Consequently, for the purposes of future regional decision-making, the consultation paper proposes that it should be regarded as a route of regional significance.
	The current ministerial team and I have not visited Hindhead, but we appreciate that improvement of the A3 at this site will deal with a significant bottleneck. We have attached high priority to developing a scheme that will resolve the traffic problems while keeping to a minimum the impact on an area that is environmentally sensitive.
	Draft Orders for the A3 Hindhead tunnel scheme together with Notices of Intention to grant exchange land certificates published by ODPM/DEFRA, were first published in October 2003. Revised proposals for part of the scheme were subsequently published in May 2004 and are currently being considered at a Public Inquiry, which started on 7 September.
	The Public Inquiry has concluded much of its anticipated business but adjourned on 15 December until 15 February 2005 in order that the Inspector can hear reaction to further minor proposals that were republished on 17 December.
	It remains our intention to implement the scheme at Hindhead, subject to completion of the necessary statutory procedures including consideration of the Inspector's report and recommendations. However, in view of the cost of the scheme and available resources it has been necessary to programme it for implementation in the period beyond 2007–08.

Census Records

Mike Hancock: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2005, Official Report, column 632W, on census records, if he will seek (a) the advice of the National Archives, (b) a legal opinion and (c) the advice of the Advisory Council on Public Records and Archives on how the Freedom of Information Act 2000 relates to the closure or release of decennial population census returns for England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: The Freedom of Information Act 2000 came into effect on 1 January 2005. The Act is still in the early days of implementation, and it is important that requests for access to information should be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. I do not, therefore, intend to seek advice about its general operation in relation to decennial census returns at this time.

Data Protection (Loyalty Cards)

John Pugh: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if his Department will make an assessment of the data protection implications of the use made by supermarkets of data collected through loyalty cards.

Christopher Leslie: The use of personal data obtained by supermarkets in loyalty card schemes is subject to the regulatory framework set out in the Data Protection Act 1998. If any person believes that their data are being used in ways which infringe the framework, they can apply to the Information Commissioner for an assessment to be made of the circumstances.

Divorced/Separated Parents

Keith Vaz: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the reasons were for the decision not to make negotiation compulsory in disputes between divorced or separated parents.

Christopher Leslie: The Government published "Parental Separation: Children's Needs and Parents' Responsibilities, Next Steps" on 18 January, which sets out plans to implement a range of measures to help separating parents in dispute about future parenting arrangements, reach agreement.
	The Government's plans include improvements in the information available to parents and greater use of methods such as the Collaborative Law model, mediation, in-court conciliation and the Family Resolutions Pilot Project. The Government intend strongly to promote these methods as better ways to reach agreement than through contested court hearings. All publicly funded clients will have to show that they have considered mediation. Lawyers will not be funded by legal aid if out of court settlement is not reached under the collaborative law scheme. In addition, the Government, senior judiciary and Rules Committee plan to review court rules and practice directions so that the strongest possible encouragement is given to parties to participate in forms of dispute resolution.
	We do not plan to make these schemes compulsory in every case, as an essential part of the process is that people come to them voluntarily and are therefore willing to participate. Further, in some cases, including those where domestic violence has been an issue, it would not always be appropriate to impose mediation on separating parents.

Fire Service

Michael Clapham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what amendments have been made to the guidance contained in the Fire Service Circular No. 3/1995 since its publication.

Nick Raynsford: No amendments have been made to the Home Office "Guide To Fire Safety Planning And Management For Local Authority Fire Brigades", which accompanied Fire Service Circular No. 3/1995.

Fire Service

Michael Clapham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) fire certificates have been (i) issued and (ii) amended and (b) exemptions from requirement to hold a fire certificate have been granted under the terms and conditions of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 by each fire and rescue authority in England and Wales in each year since 1999; and how many applications for the (A) issue and (B) amendment of a fire certificate by each fire and rescue authority were outstanding on 31 December 2004.

Nick Raynsford: The number of fire certificates issued under the terms and conditions of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 by each fire and rescue authority in England and Wales in each year since 1999 are tabled as follows:
	
		Number of Fire Precautions Act certificates issued in 1999–2000 to 2003–04
		
			 Fire and Rescue Service 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Avon 48 38 78 40 13 
			 Bedfordshire and Luton 20 31 27 16 7 
			 Buckinghamshire 101 76 66 52 38 
			 Cambridgeshire 78 51 43 46 30 
			 Cheshire 60 43 46 37 30 
			 Cleveland 65 29 17 18 8 
			 Cornwall 59 35 19 37 44 
			 County Durham and Darlington 23 25 15 24 3 
			 Cumbria 36 26 31 30 39 
			 Derbyshire 75 52 33 36 24 
			 Devon 108 128 71 49 66 
			 Dorset 76 70 52 73 44 
			 East Sussex 28 26 28 22 29 
			 Essex 77 135 139 113 125 
			 Gloucestershire 140 137 177 130 99 
			 Greater Manchester 187 129 149 115 113 
			 Hampshire 50 51 64 118 61 
			 Hereford and Worcester 61 29 51 25 27 
			 Hertfordshire 59 28 46 80 53 
			 Humberside 103 70 59 62 46 
			 Isle of Wight 15 9 2 3 6 
			 Isles of Scilly 1 0 0 2 1 
			 Kent 107 84 76 67 39 
			 Lancashire 93 58 81 38 39 
			 Leicestershire 50 32 23 13 19 
			 Lincolnshire 15 12 21 5 18 
			 London 602 463 418 300 272 
			 Merseyside 54 70 86 26 34 
			 Mid and West Wales 99 85 55 55 31 
			 Norfolk 31 37 38 25 23 
			 North Wales 44 74 29 22 11 
			 North Yorkshire 75 38 43 54 29 
			 Northamptonshire 14 20 25 19 15 
			 Northumberland 10 8 5 6 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 74 43 26 25 23 
			 Oxfordshire 87 50 28 29 22 
			 Royal Berkshire 48 56 62 52 72 
			 Shropshire 18 18 25 17 9 
			 Somerset 27 21 54 29 12 
			 South Wales 89 84 57 64 41 
			 South Yorkshire 50 41 73 71 53 
			 Staffordshire 89 78 51 41 24 
			 Suffolk 14 30 14 9 29 
			 Surrey 73 104 94 26 41 
			 Tyne and Wear 67 51 59 46 57 
			 Warwickshire 33 24 36 28 19 
			 West Midlands 107 87 72 80 11 
			 West Sussex 79 52 81 58 29 
			 West Yorkshire 124 110 72 55 50 
			 Wiltshire 37 24 41 31 19 
			 Total 3,680 3,072 2,958 2,419 1,947 
		
	
	Records are not kept of either amended fire certificates issued or outstanding applications for amended certificates. Any amended certificates issued are counted in with fire certificates issued. In respect of outstanding applications for amended certificates, there is no statutory requirement for owners/occupiers of certificated premises to apply for amended certificates. Section 8 of the Fire Precautions Act requires the owner/occupier to inform the fire authority of any material structural changes to the building. The fire authority then has a duty, if satisfied with the proposals, either to amend the fire certificate or issue a new one. If not satisfied, the fire authority must issue a notice of steps to be taken before amending or issuing a new fire certificate.

Five-year Plan

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to publish his Department's five-year plan.

Yvette Cooper: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, published on 24 January 2005, Official Report, columns 22–40, the Government's five-year housing plan "Sustainable Communities: Homes for All".
	Next week my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister will also publish a partner five-year plan "Sustainable Communities: People, Places and Prosperity".

Social Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many tenants in each local authority area have exercised their right to buy in each of the last three years; what revenue has thereby accrued to each local authority; and what proportion of the total in each year was used for (a) repairing and (b) building council housing.

Keith Hill: Annual figures for council right to buy activity for 1999–2000 to 2002–03 by local authority are available from the Housing Statistics section on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's internet site. These tables show the number of right to buy sales and the average selling price excluding discount for each reporting local authority.
	It is a matter for individual authorities to decide how to use the receipts they retain from right to buy sales in the light of local needs and priorities. Information on how local authorities chose to use the retained receipts from right to buy sales is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The web link for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 information on Right to Buy activity is: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm control/documents/contentsserver template/odpm index.hcst?n=1680&l=4 [Housing—Housing Statistics—Publications—Local Housing Statistics—Annual Statistics]
	The web link for 2002–03 information is: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm housing/ documents/page/odpm house 029535.xls [Housing—Housing Statistics—Live Tables—Social Housing Sales—Table number 648]

Antisocial Behaviour Documents

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of (a) drafting, (b) publishing and (c) circulating (i) Working together—tackling not tolerating antisocial behaviour, (ii) One Year On—together tackling anti-social behaviour and (iii) central Government funding of voluntary and community organisations.

Hazel Blears: Officials from the Government's Antisocial Behaviour Unit drafted the two "Together" reports published on 28 October 2004 as part of their daily duties. An estimate of £59,499 has been made for the drafting, publication and circulation for both reports.
	The One Year On and Practitioners' reports have been distributed widely to key stakeholder groups and individuals throughout England and Wales. They were initially distributed at the One Year On event held on 28 October to an audience in excess of 600 people drawn from local authorities, community groups, members of the public, police, MPs, and antisocial behaviour practitioners. Since this time the reports have also been available online and downloadable from the website and have received over 1,270 individual hits.
	Distribution to 6,000 individuals and groups from the range of key stakeholder groups including CDRP chairs, ASB Co-ordinators, Action Areas and Trailblazer representatives, and Together Academy attendees has also occurred along with individual mailouts upon request.

Asylum Seekers

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of Zimbabwean asylum seekers received (a) refugee status and (b) another form of protection from the UK Government in each quarter since 1997.

Des Browne: The tables show initial decision and appeal determinations by quarter, where available, for Zimbabwean asylum applicants, 1997 to Q3 2004. Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period and appeal outcomes do not necessarily relate to initial decisions made in the same period.
	Information on asylum applications is published quarterly. The next publication covering the fourth quarter of 2004 will be available on 22 February 2005 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	
		Initial decisions1 on asylum applications, by quarter, 1997 to Q3 2004: Nationals of Zimbabwe
		
			   Cases considered under normal procedures(8) Backlog clearance exercise 
			  Total initial decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR, HP and DL3 Total refusals Total backlog clearance exercise Backlog clearance ELR4, 5 Backlog clearance refusals4, 6 
			   No. % No. % No. %  No. % No. % 
		
		
			 Q1 1997 25 — 0 — 0 25 100 — — — — — 
			 Q2 1997 30 * 4 * 4 25 93 — — — — — 
			 Q3 1997 50 * 2 5 6 50 92 — — — — — 
			 Q4 1997 20 — 0 — 0 20 100 — — — — — 
			 Q1 1998 15 — 0 * 13 15 88 — — — — — 
			 Q2 1998 10 — 0 * 10 10 90 — — — — — 
			 Q3 1998 5 — 0 — 0 5 100 — — — — — 
			 Q4 1998 15 — 0 — 0 15 100 — — — — — 
			 1999(13) 105 — 0 — 0 105 91 10 10 90 * 10 
			 Q1 2000 35 * 4 — 0 35 73 10 10 100 — 0 
			 Q2 2000 60 5 4 5 6 50 59 25 25 93 * 7 
			 Q3 2000 155 5 3 5 4 145 90 5 * 25 5 75 
			 Q4 2000 305 10 3 — 0 295 97 — — — — — 
			 Q1 2001 590 15 3 10 2 565 96 — — — — — 
			 Q2 2001 440 25 5 10 3 405 92 — — — — — 
			 Q3 2001 435 35 8 10 2 395 90 — — — — — 
			 Q4 2001 665 45 7 15 2 605 91 — — — — — 
			 Q1 2002 1,015 200 20 30 3 785 77 — — — — — 
			 Q2 2002 1,305 440 34 25 2 840 64 — — — — — 
			 Q3 2002 1,580 715 45 20 1 845 53 — — — — — 
			 Q4 2002 2,330 885 38 30 1 1,415 61 — — — — — 
			 Q1 2003(14) 1,190 350 29 10 1 835 70 — — — — — 
			 Q2 2003(14) 1,145 275 24 10 1 860 75 — — — — — 
			 Q3 2003(14) 905 135 15 10 1 760 84 — — — — — 
			 Q4 2003(14) 950 115 12 5 0 830 87 — — — — — 
			 Q1 2004(14) 845 90 11 10 1 740 88 — — — — — 
			 Q2 2004(14) 550 55 10 5 1 490 89 — — — — — 
			 Q3 2004(14) 630 45 7 10 2 575 91 — — — — — 
		
	
	n/a = not applicable.
	(7) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with * = 1 or 2. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
	(8) Humanitarian protection and discretionary leave replaced exceptional leave to remain from 1 April 2003.
	(9) Cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre "96 act asylum backlog.
	(10) May include a small number of cases where asylum has been granted.
	(11) May include a small number of cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.
	(12) Annual data only available.
	(13) Provisional figures.

Asylum Seekers

Barbara Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training in sexuality issues his Department provides to officials who handle asylum applications based on persecution on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Des Browne: Asylum caseworkers undergo extensive training in the assessment of asylum claims made under the 1951 convention relating to the status of refugees. This includes training in the interpretation of the five convention reasons, and specifically the definition of "membership of a particular social group", which is relevant to many claims involving sexual orientation. Guidance on "Membership of a Particular Social Group" and instructions on "Assessing the Claim" are available to caseworkers in the form of the asylum policy instructions, which are published on the Home Office website.

Conditional Cautions

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many conditional cautions have been issued to first-time offenders in (a) Hartlepool and (b) other drugs intervention programme areas since the programme was introduced.

Caroline Flint: There are eight early implementation areas for Conditional Cautioning. Two areas are currently operational (Lancashire and Redditch). Four conditional cautions have been issued, three of which were issued to first time offenders.
	Hartlepool is not within an early implementation area for Conditional Cautioning, so no conditional cautions can be issued in Hartlepool.
	The Drug Interventions Programme "intensive" Early Implementation Areas for Conditional Cautioning which are aimed at drug misusing offenders, will become operational late January to March 2005. They do not include Hartlepool.

Cycling Offences

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions for (a) dangerous and (b) careless or inconsiderate cycling (i) Essex police and (ii) Southend police have brought successfully in each year since 1997.

Caroline Flint: The information contained in the table gives the number of defendants proceeded against and found guilty at all courts for "dangerous cycling" and "cycling without due care and attention" in the Essex police force area and South East Essex petty sessional area, 1997 to 2003.
	
		Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for certain cycling offences, 1997 to 2003(14)
		
			  Dangerous cycling(15) Cycling without due care and attention(16) 
			  Proceeded against Found guilty(17) Proceeded against Found guilty(17) 
		
		
			 Essex police force area 
			 1997 2 1 2 2 
			 1998 5 4 6 4 
			 1999 1 1 3 3 
			 2000 1 1 2 2 
			 2001 1 — — — 
			 2002 — — — — 
			 2003 — — 6 3 
			 Of which: 
			 South East Essex petty sessional area (18) 
			 1997 — — — — 
			 1998 2 2 3 2 
			 1999 — — 1 1 
			 2000 — — — — 
			 2001 — — — — 
			 2002 — — — — 
			 2003 — — 3 2 
		
	
	(14) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(15) Road Traffic Act 1988, sec. 28.
	(16) Road Traffic Act 1988, sec. 29.
	(17) For South East Essex PSA the guilty figures include those found guilty at the Crown court where South East Essex PSA was the committing court.
	(18) Covers Southend and includes some parts of Rayleigh, Benfleet and Canvey.

Identity Cards Programme

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars and (c) meetings with private sector representatives attended by members of the Identity Cards Programme team in the last six months.

Des Browne: In the last six months, members of the Identity Cards Programme team have:
	(a) Attended the following conferences
	Biometrics 2004
	CIFAS Executive Forum
	e-Government Exchange
	e-Government Summit
	National Fraud Forum
	Risk and Security Management
	UK and Ireland Fraud Liaison Group Annual Conference
	Whitehall Industry Group Fraud Solutions Workshops;
	and conferences organised by:
	Experian
	The Financial Services Authority
	Institute for Public Policy Research
	Institution of Electrical Engineers
	International Association for Biometrics
	Royal United Services Institute
	Telecommunications Users' Fraud Forum;
	(b) Participated in the following seminars
	BT Syntegra Consultation Event
	Naked Science: The State of Identity (Science Museum/Dana Centre);
	and four seminars organised by Intellect the trade body for the UK based information technology, telecommunications and electronics industry.
	(c) Held meetings with the following private sector organisations:
	ABTA
	Airline Operators Association
	APACS
	Atmel
	Atos Origin
	Authentec
	Aware
	Axon
	BAA
	BAR-UK
	BATA
	Bioscrypt
	British Bankers' Association
	BT
	Callcredit
	Cap Gemini
	CBI
	Cherry Corporation
	CIFAS
	Cogent
	Consult Hyperion
	CoreStreet
	Datacard
	De La Rue
	Director of Foundation for Science and Technology
	EDS
	Equifax
	Eye Ticket Corporation
	Experian
	Finance and Leasing Association
	The Football Association
	Fujitsu Microelectronics
	Generics Group
	Giesecke and Devrient
	Hewlett Packard
	Idenix
	IFTO
	Infineon
	Intellect
	Indian
	Lasercard
	London City Airport
	NERA Consulting
	Oberthur
	OCE
	ORGA
	OVD Kinegram
	Passenger Shipping Association
	Precise Biometrics
	Premier Electronics
	Prudential
	Royal Bank of Scotland
	Setec
	Sharp Corporation
	SMARTRAC
	St Microelectronics
	Visa Europe
	Meetings have also been held with
	Small Business Service
	Inland Revenue MPPC Payroll Group
	Financial Services Authority
	where private sector organisations have been in attendance.
	For the purposes of this answer, the following definitions have been used. "Conference" means an event organised by an external organisation where a member of the Programme Team has been invited to participate or attend. "Seminar" means an event which was arranged by the Programme or by an external organisation where identity cards was the only or principal item of discussion. "Meeting" means any other meeting which involved a private organisation, where identity cards were the primary subject. Meetings with organisations which are currently providing services to the Programme team or with organisations which at the time were bidding to provide services to the Programme Team have been excluded.

Immigration

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances would individuals, who are not British citizens, who have received custodial sentences for crimes committed in the UK, not be deported; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: Each case is decided on its individual merits. Where there has been a recommendation by the Court for deportation, there is a presumption that, save in .the most exceptional circumstances, the recommendation will be enforced. All cases, including those whose deportation is considered to be conducive to the public good, are considered under the provisions of paragraph 364 of HC 395 "Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules". This includes age, length of residence and strength of connections in the United Kingdom, personal history, domestic circumstances, previous criminal record, compassionate circumstances and any representations received. Should any one or a combination of these factors outweigh the public interest, deportation would not proceed.

Justice and Home Affairs Council

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's priorities for the Justice and Home Affairs Council during the United Kingdom's Presidency of the European Union will be; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: During 2005 the UK will work closely with Luxembourg as current Presidency and with Austria and Finland (whose Presidencies follow ours) to take forward the inherited agenda and handle any new proposals that may be introduced by the Commission or Member States in the JHA Council. Work will continue on the implementation and evaluation of the Tampere agenda, and begin on the new multi-annual work programme (the "Hague Programme") which will take forward the development of an area of freedom, security and justice. In line with the Hague Programme, priority will also be given to developing a coherent external dimension of this work through enhanced cooperation with third countries, groups of countries and regions. The Council is expected to receive proposals on the instruments for Freedom, Security and Justice in the context of the Financial Perspective 2007–2013.
	A copy of the "UK—Luxembourg Operational Programme" (AOP), with details on JHA priorities during 2005 can be found in the Library of the House.
	We will work to deliver on the commitments contained in the Action plan on Combating Terrorism, and on the new EU Action Plan on Drugs for the period 2005–2007 (likely to be adopted during the Luxembourg Presidency). We will also continue to develop judicial co-operation in both criminal and civil areas.
	On asylum and immigration, key priorities include strengthening the external border; improving the security of travel documents, including the incorporation of biometricidentifiers; improving the EU's performance on readmission agreements; helping countries or origin and transit improve their capacity for migration and refugee protection; and developing best practice in the area of integration.
	On law enforcement, key priorities will be to maximise practical, operationally focused criminal intelligence exchange between Member States, including through Europol, and to step up the co-ordination of investigation and prosecution by Member States of serious crime, making best use of Eurojust. The Council will also focus its work on further measures to be taken in the implementation of the EU Millennium Strategy to combat organised crime, and the fight against organised crime in general.

Prisoners (Sexual Harassment)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are in place in prisons in England and Wales to protect prisoners from sexual harassment; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The Prison Service has a range of policies designed to promote a prison environment in which prisoners feel safe.
	The Prison Service's Violence Reduction Strategy was launched in May 2004 and requires that each establishment has in place a local violence reduction strategy appropriate to needs. The Prison Service's definition of violence is: "any incident where a person is abused, threatened or assaulted. This includes any explicit or implicit challenge to their safety where the resulting harm may be physical, emotional or psychological." This covers all forms of harassment.
	An intranet toolkit is helping establishments to develop practical solutions, including environmental and physical measures as well as alternatives for behaviour management. A whole prison approach is encouraged, with the aim of reducing violence and fear of violence. A focus on personal safety, supporting victims, and repairing the physical and emotional harm caused by violence or abuse, links closely with the suicide prevention strategy.
	Prisoners also have access to a comprehensive complaint system.
	Following any complaint, including harassment, the Governor is required to investigate the complaint fully and take any necessary and appropriate action in order to safeguard the prisoner in his/her care.

Probation

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation areas in England and Wales exceeded their targets for victim contact during (a) 2003–04 and (b) the first six months of 2004–05.

Paul Goggins: The performance of probation areas in meeting their targets for victims contacted in 2003–04 and April to June 2004 (the latest available figures) is set out in the following table. In the first quarter of 2004–05, 39 of the 42 areas met or exceeded their target and only one area was more than 5 per cent. short of the target. In 2003–04, 38 areas met or exceeded the target with three areas falling more than 5 per cent. short.
	
		Percentage of victims contacted in accordance with national standards—target = 85 per cent. Percentage
		
			 Region/area 2003–04 Q1, 2004–05 
		
		
			 West Midlands   
			 Staffordshire 98 95 
			 Warwickshire 87 96 
			 West Mercia 83 77 
			 West Midlands 96 86 
			 West Midlands total94 90 
			
			 North East   
			 Northumbria 98 97 
			 Teesside 98 91 
			 County Durham 99 100 
			 North East total 98 96 
			
			 East   
			 Bedfordshire 92 90 
			 Cambridgeshire 94 98 
			 Essex 91 93 
			 Hertfordshire 93 93 
			 Norfolk 68 91 
			 Suffolk 88 95 
			 East total 88 93 
			
			 North West   
			 Cheshire 94 97 
			 Cumbria 90 100 
			 Lancashire 93 81 
			 Merseyside 97 98 
			 Greater Manchester 90 95 
			 North West total 92 94 
			
			 East Midlands   
			 Derbyshire 96 92 
			 Leicestershire and Rutland 100 100 
			 Lincolnshire 95 83 
			 Northamptonshire 98 96 
			 Nottinghamshire 98 97 
			 East Midlands total 97 96 
			
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 
			 Humberside 94 93 
			 North Yorkshire 97 87 
			 South Yorkshire 89 100 
			 West Yorkshire 95 99 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside total93 97 
			 South East   
			 Hampshire 90 95 
			 Kent 74 95 
			 Surrey 95 100 
			 Sussex 93 99 
			 Thames Valley 95 96 
			 South East total 89 97 
			
			 South West   
			 Avon and Somerset 94 98 
			 Dorset 100 100 
			 Gloucestershire 86 89 
			 Wiltshire 98 100 
			 Devon/Cornwall 97 98 
			 South West total 95 98 
			
			 London   
			 London total 77 85 
			
			 Wales   
			 Gwent 99 97 
			 North Wales 95 97 
			 South Wales 93 99 
			 Dyfed/Powys 100 100 
			 Wales total 95 98 
			
			 England and Wales total91 93 
		
	
	The National Standard for victim contact work is that probation areas should offer face-to-face contact between the victim (or family) and a member of the probation service (or agent) within eight weeks of the offender being sentenced. The NPS target is to make initial contact within that time scale in 85 per cent. of all eligible cases. This was exceeded in 2003–04 and performance continues to improve in 2004–05 with 93 per cent. of victims contacted in accordance with the national standard. Due to the eight-week wait to record the data, data for 2004–05 cover just the first quarter, ie, April to June 2004.
	There has been good, steady improvement in performance since April 2001.
	
		
			 Period covered Number of named victims Number of victims contacted Percentage of victims contacted 
		
		
			 April 2001 to  March 2002 15,041 9,523 63 
			 April 2002 to March 2003 15,904 12,949 81 
			 April 2003 to  March 2004 15,647 14,276 91 
			 April 2004 to  June 2004 3,909 3,604 93

Religious Hatred Legislation

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of laws concerning the incitement of religious hatred in other countries.

Fiona Mactaggart: Information published by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance indicates that countries with legislation of this kind include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France Germany, Greece and Italy. The state of Victoria in Australia also has legislation on this subject. The details of legislation vary, as one would expect. For example, the offence in Victoria has a lower threshold and wider scope than the Government are proposing for this country.
	As regards effectiveness, while it is useful to look for similar provisions in other jurisdictions, we share the view of the House of Lords Select Committee which in its Report on Religious Offences in England and Wales (April 2003) concluded that "Whilst it is possible to describe the offences that exist in different jurisdictions with some accuracy assessing their efficacy is much more difficult.'

Right of Establishment in Business

Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for the right of establishment in business under EU association agreements were received by his Department between 1 June 2003 and 30 April 2004, broken down by nationality of the applicant; and how many were (a) granted, (b) granted in error, (c) refused, (d) refused in error, (e) withdrawn and (f) otherwise disposed of, broken down by nationality.

Des Browne: Between 1 June 2003 and 30 April 2004 there were 31,812 applications for the right of establishment in business under EC Association Agreements received by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND). The table shows this total figure broken down by nationality and by the outcome of the case.
	There is no facility on the General Casework Information Database to record applications granted or refused in error.
	
		
			 Nationality of applicant Total received 1 June 2003 to 30 April 2004 Granted Refused Withdrawn by applicant Other(19) 
		
		
			 Bulgaria 4,999 4,070 252 100 23 
			 Czech Republic 238 197 4 31 0 
			 Estonia 244 197 9 31 1 
			 Hungary 142 113 3 24 2 
			 Latvia 1,262 963 98 169 4 
			 Lithuania 7,268 5,280 253 944 30 
			 Poland 13,278 10,015 731 2,362 47 
			 Romania 3,299 2,632 294 49 11 
			 Slovakia 369 319 11 37 1 
			 Slovenia 3 3 0 0 0 
			 Turkey 710 440 69 18 5 
			 Totals 31,812 24,229 1,724 3,765 2,094 
		
	
	(19) Category of "other" includes all outcomes possible on the General Casework Information Database apart from granted, refused and withdrawn by applicant. This includes applications received in the specified period against which no outcome is yet recorded, and applications received in the specified period against which an outcome was recorded after 30 September 2004. Due to limitations of the Management Information System it is not possible to break down these particular cases by nationality.
	Note:
	1 Numbers of applications granted, refused, withdrawn by applicant or "other" relate only to applications received by IND between 01 June 2003 and 30 April 2004.

Departmental Spending

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of his Department's spending in each less developed country in each of the last five years was directed to (a) direct budgetary support, (b) non-governmental organisations and (c) debt relief.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member to the DFID annual report "Statistics in International Development" (SID) which contains some of the information requested. The latest (2004) edition is available in the House of Commons Library and on-line at: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/sid2004/sid2004.asp
	(a) The following table (drawn largely from SID Table 10.1) shows spending on direct budgetary support, now more commonly termed Poverty Reduction Budget Support" or PRBS. The table shows actual spend, and spend as a proportion of DFID's total bilateral programme aid to the relevant countries. This table includes data for the last four years. Data for 1999–2000 could only be provided at a disproportionate cost. Countries not included in the table have not received PRBS. Note, DFID spends some of its funds through multilateral agencies, some of which also distribute direct budget support. While we impute a notional "share" of money we give to the EC, World Bank or other agencies as being spent in individual countries, we are not able to split this down further to show how much is spent as direct budget support.
	(b) DFID is not able to distinguish the total amount of bilateral aid channelled through non-governmental organisations in individual countries, as this information is not held centrally. Table 7 of SID contains a column showing for each country, the amount of funds spent as "Grants and other aid in kind". These will include sums dispersed via non-governmental organisations.
	(c) Debt relief to individual countries in each of the last five years is shown in SID. Table 7 is split into 7.1 which contains data on African countries, 7.2 with data on the Americas, 7.3-Asia, 7.4-Europe and 7.5-Pacific. 
	
		Poverty reduction budget support to recipient countries
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 
			  Expenditure (£ million) Percentage of programme Expenditure (£ million) Percentage of programme 
		
		
			 Africa: 
			 Ethiopia — — — — 
			 Ghana 40.0 55 25.0 45 
			 Kenya 15.0 29 — — 
			 Malawi 30.0 53 12.5 27 
			 Mozambique 10.0 24 20.0 49 
			 Rwanda 25.4 78 18.0 67 
			 Sierra Leone 19.5 56 10.0 27 
			 Tanzania 40.0 58 35.0 54 
			 Uganda 60.0 70 47.0 69 
			 Zambia 15.0 27 — — 
			 Total Africa 254.9 39 167.5 29 
			  
			 Americas: 
			 Bolivia — — 2.6 20 
			 Total Americas — — 2.6 3 
			  
			 Asia: 
			 Afghanistan — — — — 
			 Bangladesh — — — — 
			 East Timor — — — — 
			 India — — 65.0 35 
			 Pakistan — — 20.0 46 
			 Vietnam — — 7.0 44 
			 Total Asia — — 92.0 18 
			  
			 Europe: 
			 Macedonia (FYR of) — — 3.0 38 
			 17 Serbia and Montenegro (including Kosovo) 10.4 67.0 7.0 60 
			 Total Europe 10.4 9 10.0 10 
			 Total poverty reduction budget support 265.3 19 272.1 18 
		
	
	
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 
			  Expenditure (£ million) Percentage of programme Expenditure (£ million) Percentage of programme 
		
		
			 Africa: 
			 Ethiopia 10.0 23 20.0 47 
			 Ghana 20.0 36 25.0 37 
			 Kenya — — — — 
			 Malawi — — 10.0 18 
			 Mozambique 10.0 26 15.0 41 
			 Rwanda 22.0 69 18.8 70 
			 Sierra Leone 10.0 31 10.0 29 
			 Tanzania 45.0 47 60.0 75 
			 Uganda 29.5 54 30.0 54 
			 Zambia 7.6 18 3.8 13 
			 Total Africa 154.1 21 192.6 27 
			  
			 Americas: 
			 Bolivia 1.3 14 3.3 47 
			 Total Americas 1.3 1.3 3.3 4 
			  
			 Asia: 
			 Afghanistan 15.0 20 30.0 38 
			 Bangladesh 6.6 9 — — 
			 East Timor 4.0 61 4.0 89 
			 India 30.0 19 55.0 28 
			 Pakistan 20.0 52 50.0 75 
			 Vietnam 7.0 37 10.0 43 
			 Total Asia 82.6 15 149.0 19 
			  
			 Europe: 
			 Macedonia (FYR of) — — — — 
			 17 Serbia and Montenegro (including Kosovo) — — — — 
			 Total Europe — — — — 
			 Total Poverty Reduction Budget Support 238.0 13 344.9 17 
		
	
	1. Spend figures from SID 2004 Table 10.1.
	2. Excludes budgetary aid to Montserrat and St Helena.
	3. The programme figures shown above refer to DFID bilateral programme.

Millennium Development Goals

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the percentage of the total UK (a) bilateral aid budget and (b) multilateral aid budget that is available on the ground for Millennium Development Goal projects.

Hilary Benn: All DFID's development assistance is directed towards achieving the MDGs. Table 20 of the 2004 edition of DFID's annual volume "Statistics in International Development" (SID) shows the allocation of bilateral funds to individual MDGs for 2003–04. Funds can be legitimately scored against more than one MDG—for example, HIV/AIDS and maternal mortality. A copy of this report is available in the House of Commons Library and on line at: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/sid2004/sid2004.asp.
	DFID is working closely with multilateral organisations to ensure that they too prioritise MDG delivery, and that DFID provided funds are used effectively to deliver results on the ground.

Vietnam

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to help the Vietnamese Government in tackling HIV/AIDS.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID has approved £16.4 million to help the Government of Vietnam prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in Vietnam. This support began in January 2004 and will, over a 5-year period, seek to raise the level of protection of high-risk groups by promoting condom use, and use advertising campaigns to get HIV/AIDS prevention messages across to the country at large. It is too early to gauge results a year in, but around 40 million condoms were distributed to selected sites in 2004 which is expected to help reduce the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS among high-risk groups. This support is co-financed with the Norwegian Government and managed by the World Health Organisation and the Vietnamese Ministry of Health.
	DFID, together with other key donors has established a co-ordination mechanism to help promote the UNAIDS "Three Ones" approach to tackling HIV/AIDS (that is "One" action framework, "One" national coordinating authority, and "One" national monitoring and evaluation system. This will reduce the fragmentation of donor support and maximise the capacity of Government to respond to HIV/AIDS.
	DFID is planning to double its contribution to the HIV/AIDS Global Fund. Vietnam has received US$12 million from this fund over the period 2002 to 2005, US$7 million of this amount for HIV/AIDS.

Access to Work Programme

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Coventry, South have received (a) full and (b) partial grants from the Access to Work programme in each year since its introduction.

Maria Eagle: Access to Work is a specialist disability programme, which provides practical advice and support to help disabled people enter or stay in paid employment. The support is aimed at overcoming work related obstacles resulting from disability. It does this through a system of grants towards the cost of providing support. The amount of support available to any individual will depend on their work related needs resulting from disability.
	Information is not available at constituency level. The available information for the West Midlands region is in the table.
	
		Number of people helped by the Access to Work programme in the West Midlands region
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 New beneficiaries 1,492 1,279 
			 Existing beneficiaries 1,679 1,426 
			 Total beneficiaries 3,171 2,705 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures broken down by region are not available for earlier years.
	2. New beneficiaries are people who receive access to work assistance for the first time ever within the financial year. Existing beneficiaries are people who received access to work assistance in a previous financial year, and continue to receive financial support.
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus internal Management Information

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have died from carbon monoxide poisoning in the UK in each year since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: The following table provides information for gas related carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning fatalities:
	
		Number of fatal injuries relating to the supply and use of flammable gas(23)
		
			  CO poisoning 
		
		
			 1996–97 31 
			 1997–98 28 
			 1998–99 37 
			 1999–2000 26 
			 2000–01 25 
			 2001–02 22 
			 2002–03 20 
			 2003–04(24) 12 
		
	
	(23) The table shows the number of fatalities reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 in Great Britain.
	(24) Provisional.
	Notes:
	1. Mainly piped gas but also includes bottled liquid petroleum gas (LPG).
	2. The figure for CO deaths in 2003–04 is the lowest on record.

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2005, Official Report, columns 624–25W, on pensions, how many (a) men and (b) women aged 54 years and over are contracted out with an appropriate personal pension or stakeholder pension.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the table.
	
		Number of men and women aged 54 and over contracted out with an appropriate personal pension or stakeholder pension
		
			 Gender Appropriate personal pension Stakeholder pension 
		
		
			 Men 213,000 (25)1,000 
			 Women 28,000 (25)1,000 
		
	
	(25) Figures for stakeholder pensions are subject to a high degree of sampling error and should be used only as a guide.
	Note:
	1. Figures are based on scheme membership at the end of the 2002–03 tax year, the latest year for which the information is available.
	2. They include those with earnings below the LEL (for example people on a career break or who are unemployed) who would not qualify for an age-related rebate for the 2002–03 tax year.
	3. Figures for appropriate personal pensions do not include those for stakeholder pensions.
	Source:
	"Second Tier Pension Provision" published by the Department for Work and Pensions using the Lifetime Labour Market Database which uses a 1 per cent. sample of national insurance records.

European Youth Initiatives

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on European Communities planned actions in the field of youth, with particular reference to projects arising from COM (2004) 337 and from the New Impetus for European Youth White Paper.

Kim Howells: In July 2004, the European Commission published its proposal for a decision to create a "Youth In Action programme for the period 2007–13". This is the only planned action involving projects in the field of youth. The proposal is currently being negotiated in Council Working Party and the timetable for the completion of this negotiation is at present uncertain.
	The 2001 Commission White Paper "A New Impetus for European Youth" identified four priority areas for policy cooperation and development:
	Participation
	Information
	Voluntary Activities
	Greater Understanding of Youth
	Since then, EU Youth Ministers have agreed common objectives for all four policy areas in the form of Council Resolutions. Document COM (2004) 337 contained the proposals for common objectives for voluntary activities.
	The Commission will invite member states to report on their progress towards meeting these objectives by the end of 2005 (participation and information); by the end of 2006 (voluntary activities) and by the end of 2008 (a greater understanding and knowledge of youth).

Higher Education (Manchester)

Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 18 year-olds who were (a) resident in the City of Manchester and (b) resident in the Manchester, Withington constituency, entered higher education in the academic year 2002–03.

Kim Howells: holding answer 20 January 2005
	Participation rates at constituency level are not calculated by the department. The available information for 2002–03 is taken from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and covers 18-year-old applicants from Manchester LEA accepted through UCAS to full time first degree and HMD courses.
	The participation rates calculated are based upon all 18-year-olds, not just those who have been in secondary education. The population numbers are estimates and can be volatile from year to year, hence participation rates should be used only as a guide to the long term trend in participation in a particular area.
	
		Proportion of students aged 18 accepted through UCAS tofull-time undergraduate courses in the UK, by LEA of domicile, 2002–03
		
			 Domicile Accepted applicants aged 18 Percentage of 18-year-olds 
		
		
			 Manchester LEA(30) 762 12.1 
			 England 134,785 22.0 
		
	
	(30) The figures are derived from information collected on the UCAS application form. UCAS allocates an Area of Permanent Residence (APR) to each applicant, based upon their correspondence address, which is believed to largely correspond to LEAs, however, there may be some small differences between the postcodes coded under UCAS's APR classification and those coded under the Office of National Statistics (ONS) classifications.
	Source:
	Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)
	The recent HEFCE publication "Young participation in higher education" (HEFCE 2005/03) does look at the proportion of young people who enter higher education at age 18 or 19 by parliamentary constituency. A discussion of the participation divisions and trends (18-year-olds in 1994 to 18 year-olds in 2000) for constituencies is contained in the report [sections 2.12, 3.8 and 4.1].
	In addition participation rates for parliamentary constituencies based on this work are given on the supporting POLAR website (www.hefce.ac.uk/polar). These indicate that, for the cohorts reaching 18 between 1997 and 1999, 18 per cent. of young people living in Manchester LEA and 34 per cent. of young people living in the Manchester, Withington constituency entered higher education at age 18 or 19 (the English average for these cohorts is 29 per cent.).

Language Teachers

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the increase in the number of language teachers that would be needed to implement the recommendations of the Tomlinson Report;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the workforce training requirements of the implementation of the recommendation of the Tomlinson Report that languages should be either an elective or compulsory component in other specialisations.

Stephen Twigg: We are currently preparing a White Paper on the 14–19 phase, including our response to the recommendations of the final report of the Working Group on 14–19 Reform chaired by Mike Tomlinson. Our White Paper, which will be published soon, will include an assessment of the impact of our recommendations on work force training; teaching and learning in the 14–19 phase.

Per Capita Funding

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the spending per head on pupils in Nottingham, North constituency was in (a) 1997 and (b) the latest period for which figures are available.

Stephen Twigg: The information requested is submitted to the Department according to local education authority areas, rather than districts within an LEA. Nottingham, North forms part of City of Nottingham LEA. The information is contained within the following table:
	
		Combined LEA and school based expenditure1, 2 per pupil(33), cash terms(36), provisional data(32) as reported by City of Nottingham LEA 5
		
			  £ per pupil 
		
		
			 1997–98 2, 4, 5 2,570 
			 2003–04 2, 4 4,910 
		
	
	(31) The combined LEA and school based expenditure includes all expenditure on the education of children in LEA maintained establishments and pupils educated by the LEA other than in maintained establishments. This includes both school based expenditure and all elements of central LEA expenditure except youth and community and capital expenditure from revenue (CERA).
	(32) 1997–98 financial data are taken from (pre local government reorganisation) Nottinghamshire LEA's Revenue Outturn spending return submitted to the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions. 2003–04 financial data are taken from City of Nottingham LEA's Section 52 Outturn Statement (Table A) submitted to the Department for Education and Skills. 2003–04 data remains provisional and is subject to change by the LEA.
	(33) Pupil figures include all pre-primary pupils, including these under fives funded by the LEA and being educated in private settings, pupils educated in maintained mainstream schools and other LEA maintained pupils. The pupil data for pupils attending maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools are taken from the DfES Annual Schools Census. Private voluntary and independent (PVI) under five pupil numbers are taken from the Early Years census but are only included in the 2003–04 pupil count. Other LEA maintained pupils includes ail pupils attending schools not maintained by the authority for whom the authority is paying full tuition fees, or educated otherwise than in schools and pupil referral units under arrangements made by the authority drawn from the form 8b submitted to the DfES. Also included as other LEA maintained pupils are all pupils attending pupil referral units who are not registered at a maintained mainstream school drawn from the DfES Annual Schools Census. All pupil numbers are adjusted to be on a financial year basis.
	(34) Financial data is collected at local authority level and not constituency level and as such the figures provided are for City of Nottingham LEA. Local government reorganisation (LGR) took place on the 1 April 1998 where pre-LGR Nottinghamshire LEA was split into City of Nottingham LEA and Nottinghamshire LEA As a result, the 1997–98 data is for pre-LGR Nottinghamshire LEA and the 2003–04 data is for City of Nottingham LEA.
	(35) Spending in 1997–98 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 1998–99.
	(36) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 as at 24 January 2004.

School Computers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been spent on computers in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Coventry South in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: The Department does not hold information on funding for ICT at constituency level. However, Coventry South is in Coventry LEA and allocations for this authority, since 1998, are detailed in "Funding for ICT in Schools in England" which is available in the House Library.

School Computers

Mark Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much Government funding has been allocated to computers in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each of the last seven years.

Derek Twigg: I refer my hon. Friend to "Funding for ICT in Schools in England" which is available in the House Library.

Dilutional Hyponatraemia

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dilutional hyponatraemia-related deaths occurred in the Province in each of the last 20 years.

Angela Smith: The following table gives the number of deaths registered in Northern Ireland for each year between 1984 and 2003, where
	(i) the underlying cause of death was "hyponatraemia" 1 or "fluid overload" 2 ; or
	(ii) an associated/secondary cause of death was "hyponatraemia" 1 or "fluid overload" 2 .
	1 International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision code E87.1 for years 2001–03 and Ninth Revision code 276.1 for years 1984–2000.
	2 International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision code E87.7 for years 2001–03 and Ninth Revision code 276.6 for years 1984–2000.
	
		Number of registered deaths by year in Northern Ireland where the primary or an associated/secondary cause of death was "hyponatraemia" or "fluid overload'
		
			 Registration year Deaths where the primary cause of death was "hyponatraemia" or "fluid overload' Deaths where an associated/secondary cause of death was "hyponatraemia" or "fluid overload' 
		
		
			 1984 0 0 
			 1985 0 0 
			 1986 0 1 
			 1987 0 1 
			 1988 1 1 
			 1989 0 3 
			 1990 1 1 
			 1991 0 2 
			 1992 0 2 
			 1993 1 2 
			 1994 0 0 
			 1995 0 3 
			 1996 1 4 
			 1997 0 2 
			 1998 0 2 
			 1999 0 8 
			 2000 0 5 
			 2001 0 0 
			 2002 1 9 
			 2003 1 9

Early Years Development Fund

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been spent on the Early Years Development Fund in each constituency in Northern Ireland in each year since its introduction.

Angela Smith: Information regarding allocations Early Years Development Fund (EYDF) broken down by parliamentary constituency is not available. EYDF provides a degree of infrastructural support to the Childcare Partnerships. The Department provides the Childcare Partnerships with a percentage allocation of the annual EYDF budget available, which can then be targeted to provide support for suitable projects/activities in the Partnership area. In addition, the Department also uses a portion of EYDF to support a range of diverse organisations and activities across Northern Ireland.
	The following table shows the overall level of investment in the Early Years Development Fund at Northern Ireland and Childcare Partnership level since 1999.
	
		
			   £ million 
			  1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland 0.36 1.37 1.41 1.46 1.54 1.60 
			 Eastern childcare partnership 0.19 0.39 0.38 0.39 0.41 0.45 
			 Western childcare partnership 0.09 0.23 0.23 0.24 0.25 0.29 
			 Northern childcare partnership 0.02 0.26 0.21 0.22 0.23 0.26 
			 Southern childcare partnership 0.04 0.22 0.20 0.21 0.21 0.22

Influenza

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients in the Province have been diagnosed with influenza in each month over the past five years; how many have died from influenza in the Province in each of the last 20 years; and how many cases of each subtype of influenza were diagnosed in the Province since 1 November 2004.

Angela Smith: The information is as follows:
	(i) Information on the number of patients diagnosed with influenza in each month over the last five years within the Province is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			 Month/year Number of influenza detections 
		
		
			 2000  
			 January 228 
			 February 56 
			 March 13 
			 April 11 
			 May 10 
			 June 18 
			 July 4 
			 August 5 
			 September 3 
			 October 8 
			 November 2 
			 December 8 
			   
			 2001  
			 January 14 
			 February 25 
			 March 39 
			 April 61 
			 May 17 
			 June 19 
			 July 7 
			 August 5 
			 September 35 
			 October 66 
			 November 7 
			 December 5 
			   
			 2002  
			 January 2 
			 February 9 
			 March 12 
			 April 15 
			 May 6 
			 June 4 
			 July 3 
			 August 0 
			 September 0 
			 October 0 
			 November 3 
			 December 0 
			   
			 2003  
			 January 1 
			 February 1 
			 March 0 
			 April 2 
			 May 0 
			 June 0 
			 July 0 
			 August 0 
			 September 0 
			 October 17 
			 November 22 
			 December 7 
			   
			 2004  
			 January 2 
			 February 2 
			 March 0 
			 April 0 
			 May 1 
			 June 0 
			 July 0 
			 August 0 
			 September 0 
			 October 0 
			 November 8 
			 December 14 
		
	
	(ii) The following table gives the number of deaths registered in Northern Ireland for each year between 1984 and 2003, due to "influenza" 1
	
		
			 Registration year "Influenza" deaths 
		
		
			 1984 15 
			 1985 28 
			 1986 23 
			 1987 2 
			 1988 9 
			 1989 43 
			 1990 48 
			 1991 5 
			 1992 6 
			 1993 17 
			 1994 3 
			 1995 9 
			 1996 6 
			 1997 8 
			 1998 2 
			 1999 5 
			 2000 39 
			 2001 0 
			 2002 1 
			 2003 4 
		
	
	(38) International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes J10-J11 for years 2001–03 and Ninth Revision code 487 for years 1984–2000.
	Source:
	Northern Ireland Statistical Research Agency
	(iii) Since 1 November 2004, there have been a total of 28 laboratory-confirmed influenza infections in Northern Ireland. All are influenza A: four have been typed as influenza A H3, 12 have been typed as influenza A HI. The remaining 12 viruses have not been sub-typed.

Public Sector Holiday

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he intends that 13 July should cease to be a public sector holiday in the Province.

Ian Pearson: There are no plans to alter the observance of 13 July as a privilege holiday for the staff of the 11 Departments of the Northern Ireland Administration and also those staff of the Northern Ireland Office who are located in Northern Ireland.
	While holidays for the staff in the wider public sector are a matter for the relevant employer, prior to December 2004, Health and Personal Social Services staff had 10 public holidays and two additional privilege days, historically taken on 13 July and a third day at Christmas. Under the UK-wide pay modernisation "Agenda for Change", implemented on 1 December 2004, the two additional privilege holidays were converted to annual leave for Health and Personal Social Services staff.

Sure Start

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent in Northern Ireland on the Sure Start Programme in each year since its introduction, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Angela Smith: When Sure Start was introduced in July 2000, investment stood at £4 million full-year cost (£2 million in-year cost). Information regarding Sure Start allocations by parliamentary constituency is not available but the following table shows the overall investment in Sure Start at Northern Ireland and Childcare Partnership level since the programme was introduced in July 2000:
	
		
			  £ million 
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland 2 5.8 6.6 8.5 8.8 
			 Eastern childcare partnership 0.74 2.15 2.59 3.34 3.45 
			 Western childcare partnership 0.44 1.28 1.40 1.80 1.90 
			 Northern childcare partnership 0.42 1.22 1.33 1.72 1.77 
			 Southern childcare partnership 0.40 1.16 1.27 1.64 1.69

Water Industry

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been paid to date to the European Commission as a result of the failure of Northern Ireland's Water Service to meet EC Water Directive standards.

Angela Smith: To date, no money has been paid out on fines.
	If the Commission considers that there may be an infringement of EU law that warrants the opening of an infringement procedure under Article 226 of the EC treaty, it addresses a "Letter of Formal Notice" (first written warning) to the member state concerned, requesting it to submit its observation by a specified date, usually two months.
	In light of the reply or absence of a reply from the member state concerned, the Commission may decide to address a "Reasoned Opinion" (final written warning) to the member state. This clearly and definitively sets out the reasons why it considers there to have been an infringement of EU law and calls upon the member state to comply within a specified period, normally two months.
	If a member state fails to comply with the Reasoned Opinion, the Commission may decide to bring the case before the European Court of Justice. The Court can make a judgment confirming that the member state is in breach of its obligations. The member state must then take steps to comply with the judgment as soon as possible.
	Once a judgment has been reached, the Commission may progress the case to Article 228 proceedings. This also involves "Letters of Formal Notice" and "Reasoned Opinion" stages. Article 228 also allows the Commission to ask the Court to impose a financial penalty on the member state concerned.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will urge the Government of Burma to allow all political prisoners to stay in prisons which are close to their families;
	(2)  if he will urge the Government of Burma to investigate all reports of deaths in custody;
	(3)  if he will urge the Government of Burma to ensure that punishments in prisons do not constitute torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment;
	(4)  if he will urge the Government of Burma to ensure that prisoners are (a) held in conditions which meet international standards, (b) provided with proper medical care on a timely basis and an adequate diet and (c) supplied with mosquito nets;
	(5)  if he will urge the Government of Burma to ensure that prisoners in every (a) prison, (b) labour camp and (c) other detention facility in Burma have (i) opportunities to socialise with one another and (ii) access to reading and writing materials of their choice;
	(6)  if he will urge the Government of Burma (a) to investigate all allegations of incommunicado detention and torture (i) in interrogation and (ii) in prison, (b) to take steps to bring those responsible to justice and (c) to take immediate steps to put an end to these practices;
	(7)  what discussions he has had with the Government of Burma about deaths in custody in Burma in 2004.

Douglas Alexander: We remain concerned about reported prison conditions in Burma and call on the Burmese regime to implement fully its international human rights obligations, including the humane treatment of prisoners.
	We maintain that all prisoners should be held in accordance with international standards. There can be no excuse for the deliberate mistreatment or neglect of prisoners. Our embassy in Rangoon keeps in close contact with the International Committee of the Red Cross and Amnesty International, which have been able to visit prisons in Burma, in order to monitor conditions in which prisoners are kept. We are fully supportive of their efforts to improve such conditions.
	We regularly raise our concerns on human rights issues with the Burmese authorities, most recently when I met the Burmese ambassador on 29 November.
	We fully support the efforts of UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Professor Sergio Pinheiro and urge the regime to co-operate fully with him and allow him to visit Burma. He has a crucial role to play, including in these areas.

Burma

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent actions by the military regime in Burma.

Douglas Alexander: We remain deeply concerned by developments in Burma in particular the news that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is now formally detained under Section 10(b) of the State Protection Law and that her house arrest has been extended until November 2005.
	We fully support the UN Secretary-General's statement of 16 December 2004 reminding the Burmese authorities of their responsibility to ensure Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's security and well-being.
	The Burmese regime has committed itself
	"to build a modern, prosperous, democratic nation".
	For this to happen, it is essential that the National Convention (to draw up a new constitution) which reconvenes on February 17 is an inclusive and transparent process, involving all political parties and ethnic groups in Burma. Without their participation, it lacks all credibility.
	The UK remains committed to helping Burma achieve national reconciliation and we will respond positively to tangible progress.

Georgia

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Georgia concerning (a) attacks upon Baptist church buildings, including two attacks upon the church in the village of Kuchatani in October and December 2004, (b) threats to and intimidation of members of minority religious denominations in Georgia, including Baptists, Pentecostals, Lutherans and Catholics, (c) the Government's stance on according legal status to faiths other than the Georgian Orthodox Church and (d) permission for religious groups to build non-Orthodox places of worship.

Douglas Alexander: Our embassy in Tbilisi maintain a close interest in issues relating to freedom of religion in Georgia. We are aware that a draft amendment to the law has been submitted to enable the registration of non-orthodox faiths and that the Liberty Institute has lodged a suit with the Constitutional Court to remove the article in the existing law which prohibits the registration of non-orthodox faiths. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and keep in close touch with our EU, Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and Council of Europe partners.

Vietnam

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what steps are being taken to encourage the removal of the death penalty in Vietnam;
	(2)  what recent assessment has been made of the number of state executions in Vietnam; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The first EU-Vietnam Seminar on the Death Penalty, partly funded by the UK, took place in Hanoi on 24–26 November 2004. We are encouraged by Vietnamese willingness to enter into a dialogue on this issue and hope to build on this progress.
	Total abolition of the death penalty is unlikely in the near future. But we welcome Vietnam's willingness to debate the issue, and to consider narrowing the use of the death penalty in the next two-three years.
	We regret that the death penalty is still widely used in Vietnam. It has one of the highest rates of death sentences and executions. 29 different offences, including non-violent ones, are capital crimes. More than 60 people are believed to have been executed in 2003, double that of 2002. On 5 January 2004, the Prime Minister of Vietnam declared death penalty statistics "state secrets".

Vietnam

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is being given to Vietnam to (a) strengthen the Civil Service and (b) eliminate corruption.

Douglas Alexander: Public administration reform and corruption are key areas for UK assistance to Vietnam.
	The Department for International Development's (DFID) support to Vietnam is one of the fastest growing UK aid programmes in the world. DFID programme resources are projected to reach £55 million in 2005–06. This support includes helping the National Assembly to strengthen its oversight function. Recent results include the scrutiny of the draft Audit Law which has led to the State Audit department reporting to the National Assembly as opposed to the Government, and on-going revisions to the new law on anti-corruption. DFID is financing the Ministry of Planning and Investment's Inspectorate which has provided three pilot inspection reports to the Minister of Planning and Investment to review and take appropriate action. DFID also financed technical training in performance auditing for 30 people, and awareness training in planning and investment inspection for 140 officials.
	DFID is contributing to a multi-donor effort to improve public financial management. This support has helped design a budgetary yearbook which will be made available to the public, and financed the recent public expenditure review which will be endorsed by the Government and made public at the end of January 2005. DFID is also supporting the introduction of a Treasury and Budget Management Information System to comply with international best practice in budget execution and reporting.
	We took part in the Vietnam Consultative Group's (CG) main annual stock take on 1–2 December, together with representatives of the Government of Vietnam, donors,
	international agencies, international NGOs and the private sector. Corruption was one of the key challenges identified; and we welcome Vietnam's increasing openness in this respect.
	This was the first such dialogue with donors. We will continue to support Vietnam's efforts to combat corruption and to strengthen its civil service.

China (Cashmere Imports)

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she plans to take to increase the level of monitoring of the importation of cashmere knitted garments from China.

Douglas Alexander: Surveillance licensing of EU imports from China on a range of textiles and clothing products, including cashmere knitted garments, was introduced by the EU and implemented by the UK on 1 January 2005.

Postal Services

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the standard of postal services in inner London.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Improving the quality of postal services throughout the country is an operational matter for the Royal Mail Board. I have been assured by Allan Leighton that this is the Board's top priority and Adam Crazier, Chief Executive of Royal Mail, has taken personal responsibility for this improvement.

Energy Supply

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the UK's future energy generation capability.

Mike O'Brien: The Government's assessment, prepared jointly with Ofgem and National Grid Transco, is set out in reports of the Joint Energy Security of Supply Working Group. The latest version was published in November 2004 and copies are in the House Library.
	The Secretary of State will also report to Parliament on security of energy supply this year as required under section 172 of the Energy Act 2004.

EU Structural Funds

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the future of European Union structural funds.

Douglas Alexander: The Government has already set out in great detail its position on the future of the Structural and Cohesion Funds. We put forward reform proposals in a consultation document of 2003 and confirmed the Government's approach in two written statements to Parliament on 17 September and 11 December 2003.
	In short, the Government is proposing that the funds should in future be focused on the poorest EU member states. If our proposals are accepted, we have guaranteed to increase domestic spending on regional policy in the UK.

EU Constitution

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her Answer of 15 December 2004, Official Report, column 1124W, on the EU Constitution, what the definition is of services of general economic interest; and if she will make a statement on the effect of the provisions of the EU Constitutional Treaty on the competence of (a) member states and (b) the European Commission in respect of such services.

Douglas Alexander: There is neither a UK- nor EU- level legal definition of services of general economic interest (SGEIs), although the term "services of general economic interest" can be found in Articles 16 and 86 of the EC Treaty. However, the European Commission states in its White Paper on Services of General Interest (COM (2004) 374 final) that there is broad agreement that the term SGEIs "refers to services of an economic nature which the member states or the Community subject to specific public service obligations by virtue of a general interest criterion". In ECJ case C-l79/90, the court said that SGEIs "were services which exhibited a general economic interest with special characteristics compared with those offered by other economic activities".
	The EC Treaty presently gives the European Commission competence to bring forward proposals for EC legislation on SGEIs under sectoral legal bases, for example Articles 71 and 80(2) (transport) or 156 (trans-european networks), or under Article 95 (internal market approximation measures). Such proposals could define the principles and conditions enabling SGEIs to fulfil their missions. A Commission proposal for legislation on SGEIs would have to be compliant with the EC Treaty's provisions, such as internal market requirements, and could not infringe on member states' competence to provide, to commission and to fund these services.
	The Constitutional Treaty would give the Commission an additional legal basis under which the Commission could bring forward a proposal for legislation on SGEIs at a horizontal level. However, a commission proposal on SGEIs under this legal base would also have to be compliant with the EC Treaty's provision, such as internal market requirements, and Article III-122 explicitly maintains the competence of member states in the key areas of providing, commissioning and funding services of general economic interest.

Departmental Publications

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many copies of the booklet "What the Pre-Budget Report Means for Scotland" have been produced; and at what cost.

Anne McGuire: H.M. Treasury produced 750 copies of the leaflet on "What the Pre-Budget Report Means for Scotland" at a cost of £264, or 35 pence each. The total cost for all the twelve regions and countries was £3,172.

Freedom of Information

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what categories of information are available under Freedom of Information legislation that have not been provided in written parliamentary answers by his Department in the last three years.

Anne McGuire: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Constitutional Affairs, on 24 January 2005, Official Report, column 140W.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the speeches his special advisers made in an official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004, broken down by date.

David Miliband: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided by my predecessor on Wednesday 15 December 2004, Official Report, column 1148W. Special advisers are aware of the requirements of the "Code of Conduct for Special Advisers". For the period 31 March 2003 to 31 March 2004, no special advisers working in the Cabinet Office made speeches in their official capacity.

Iraq

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what mechanisms the Government are using to assess their responsibility towards Iraqi civilians under the Geneva conventions in the absence of a reliable estimate of Iraqi casualties.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom takes seriously its responsibilities and obligations under Geneva Conventions which identify civilians as "protected persons". The Ministry of Defence has not previously published estimates of civilian casualties because there are no reliable means of producing such estimates. There is no specific requirement under the Geneva Conventions to produce estimates of civilian casualties.
	We take great care to ensure that civilians are protected and that our obligations under the Geneva Conventions are met. All personnel serving in Iraq are fully briefed on the Law of Armed Conflict and appropriate measures are taken to avoid loss of civilian life or property. We always evaluate planned operations to ensure that they do not carry an unacceptable risk of causing unintended civilian casualties.

Ambulance Response Times

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average response times of ambulance crews in (a) Romford, (b) the London borough of Havering, (c) Greater London, (d) Essex and (e) England were in each of the last seven years.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally in the format requested. Data on response times for Essex and London Ambulance Services and for all ambulance services in England is shown in the table.
	Data is only available from the date trusts introduced call prioritisation. Essex Ambulance Service introduced call prioritisation in 1997–98 and London Ambulance Service in 2000–01. All ambulance services in England had introduced call prioritisation by 2001–02.
	Further information can be found in the statistical bulletin, "Ambulance services, England: 2003–04". A copy is available in the Library and at www.publications.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0411.htm
	
		
			  Essex London England 
		
		
			 Percentage of Category A calls responded within eight minutes 
			 1997–98 62.0 n/a n/a 
			 1998–99 61.8 n/a n/a 
			 1999–2000 61.8 n/a n/a 
			 2000–01 72.4 41.8 n/a 
			 2001–02 78.1 57.2 70.8 
			 2002–03 67.3 69.1 74.6 
			 2003–04 75.7 76.0 75.7 
			 
			 Percentage of Category A calls responded within 14–19 minutes 
			 1997–98 98.1 n/a n/a 
			 1998–99 97.7 n/a n/a 
			 1999–2000 97.0 n/a n/a 
			 2000–01 97.8 83.3 n/a 
			 2001–02 98.3 85.7 94.1 
			 2002–03 96.8 88.6 94.6 
			 2003–04 98.0 89.6 93.9 
			 
			 Percentage of category B/C calls responded within 14–19 minutes 
			 1997–98 97.1 n/a n/a 
			 1998–99 96.8 n/a n/a 
			 1999–2000 95.3 n/a n/a 
			 2000–01 95.6 79.7 n/a 
			 2001–02 95.7 78.5 90.2 
			 2002–03 91.9 79.2 89.6 
			 2003–04 89.4 77.9 87.5 
			 
			 Percentage of urgent journeys with arrival time not more than 15 minutes late 
			 1997–98 96.8 79.3 88.0 
			 1998–99 95.2 69.4 84.0 
			 1999–2000 95.8 61.0 80.5 
			 2000–01 95.4 50.1 78.8 
			 2001–02 93.8 48.4 78.5 
			 2002–03 83.5 46.7 78.0 
			 2003–04 92.6 50.0 78.1 
		
	
	n/a—not available

Departmental Costs

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the total costs to his Department of consultancy and professional services in each year since 1997.

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost to his Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years.

Rosie Winterton: Expenditure by the Department on external consultancy and professional services in each year since 1997 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			 Financial year Expenditure 
		
		
			 1996–97 14.699 
			 1997–98 12.694 
			 1998–99 7.332 
			 1999–2000 8.132 
			 2000–01 6.531 
			 2001–02 6.800 
			 2002–03 7.266 
			 2003–04 10.031

Depression

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were treated for depression in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not available in the requested format.
	The Department provides hospital episode statistics (HES) data which relates to diagnostic information for in-patients in national health service hospitals. During their course of treatment over a period of time, patients may have a number of episodes of care which are counted each time they have a stay in hospital. Information relating to diagnosis where a patient is still under the care of a hospital consultant is not recorded.
	Information on the number of finished consultant episodes for patients with a primary diagnosis of depression or recurrent depression in each of the last five years in NHS hospitals in England is shown in the table.
	The data excludes people treated on an outpatient basis and patients who have received treatment solely in primary care.
	
		Finished consultant episodes (FCEs) for patients with a primary diagnosis of depression (F32), or recurrent depression (F33)broken down by age in NHS hospitals in England
		
			  1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03(44) 2003–04(44) 
		
		
			 Children (0 to 15) 260 210 240 250 280 
			 Adolescents (16 to 18) 560 520 510 510 510 
			 Adult 44,550 42,530 41,230 33,570 31,860 
			 Not known 30 90 80 50 10 
			 Total 45,400 43,360 42,060 34,380 32,650 
		
	
	(44) Figures are grossed for both coverage and missing/invalid clinical data, except for 2002–03 and 2003–04, which have not yet been adjusted for shortfalls in data.
	Notes:
	1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	2. A FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.
	3. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the HES dataset and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.

Digital Hearing Aids

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the overall costs of (a) supplying and (b) fitting digital hearing aids by (i) the NHS and (ii) independent providers.

Stephen Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike) today.

Digital Hearing Aids

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of supplying and fitting digital hearing aids in (a) the NHS and (b) the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department collects unit cost and activity data from all National Health Service providers in England each financial year.
	This information is available in the document, in "Payment by Results, Core Tools, 2004", a copy of which is available in the Library.
	Data from financial year 2002–03, the most current available, shows that:
	A total of 57,687 digital hearing aids were provided by NHS and primary care trusts at an average unit cost of £140 per aid.
	Total expenditure for this level of activity therefore equates to approximately £8.1 million.
	No NHS organisation reported data for sub-contracting or directly commissioning this activity from non-NHS providers.

GPs and Dentists

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) NHS dentists and (b) general practitioners were practising in the West Suffolk parliamentary constituency at 31 December (i) 2004 and (ii) 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The data for national health service dentists and general practitioners practicing in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire strategic health authority area and within Suffolk West primary care trust (PCT) area are shown in the two tables.
	The data shown is for the number of GPs as at 30 June 2004, which is the latest data available, the December census has not yet been published. The data for GPs within the Suffolk West PCT area is from 2001 as this is the earliest data available.
	
		
			Number (headcount) 
			 Quarter 1 1997 2001 2004 
		
		
			 General medical practitioners (excluding retainers, registrars and locums )(53)
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 1,263 1,302 1,477 
			 Suffolk West PCT n/a 124 159 
			 General Dental Practitioners(54)
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 754 901 1,025 
			 Suffolk West PCT 75 98 110 
		
	
	(53) All practitioners (excluding registrars, retainers and locums) include general medical services unrestricted principals, personal medical services (PMS) contracted GPs, PMS salaried GPs, restricted principals, assistants, salaried doctors (Para 52 SFA), PMS others, flexible career scheme GPs and GP returners.
	GP data as at 1 October 1997, 30 September 2001 and 30 June 2004.
	(54) The figures are based on the numbers of dentists with open general dental services (CDS) and personal dental services contracts. The dentists include principals, assistants and trainees. Prison contracts have not been included in this analysis. The areas have been defined using practice postcodes within the PCT. The figures provide a snapshot of the number of individual dentists with an open contract at 31 December. A dentist with a GDS contract may provide as little or as much NHS treatment as he or she chooses. The Dental Practice Board has no information concerning the amount of time dedicated to NHS work by individual dentists. The figures provide an accurate figure taking into account any notifications received up to 22 January 2005. The Dental data as at 31 December each year.
	Source:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.
	Dental Practice Board

Hospital Infections

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recommendations (a) his Department and (b) the National Patient Safety Agency has made to the NHS on hand infection control against the spread of norovirus.

Melanie Johnson: Maintaining a high standard of hand hygiene is one of the key points in the guidelines produced on the "Management of hospital outbreaks of gastroenteritis" by the Public Health Laboratory Service, which is now part of the Health Protection Agency. These guidelines were published in the "Journal of Hospital Infection" in 2000. In February 2003, following high levels of norovirus activity, the Department reminded medical directors of national health service trusts about the guidelines.
	The "cleanyourhands" campaign, developed by the National Patient Safety Agency, will help improve hand hygiene and hence will contribute to reducing the spread of gastroenteritis infections.

IT (Disciplinary Procedures)

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in his Department have (a) received official warnings and (b) faced disciplinary procedures following breaches of IT policy in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The following table provides information held by the Department's security unit from 1998–2004, which sets out the number of cases where disciplinary action was taken due to computer misuse within the whole of the Department. Information on official warnings is not available.
	
		
			  Disciplinary action 
		
		
			 1998 22 
			 1999 22 
			 2000 26 
			 2001 4 
			 2002 11 
			 2003 9 
			 2004 23 
			 Total 117 
		
	
	The Department takes very seriously any misuse of its information technology (IT) systems. All staff are regularly reminded of the Department's misuse of IT with detailed guidance contained in the document "Acceptable Use of Information Technology" available on the Department's intranet.

Mental Health

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of winding up the Mind Out for Mental Health campaign; and what plans he has for establishing a follow-up campaign.

Rosie Winterton: No costs were incurred were in winding up the Mind Out for Mental Health campaign.
	The National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) launched a new five-year initiative on 11 October 2004 called "Shift" designed to tackle the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health issues. This new initiative is building on the work carried out under the Mind Out for Mental Health banner. In addition, NIMHE has commissioned a scoping review of what works in anti stigma and discrimination and is moving forward on the basis of a five-year strategic plan launched last June called "From Here To Equality".

MRSA

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress towards developing a vaccine against methicillin resistant staphyloccus aureus; and what steps his Department is taking to support this work.

Melanie Johnson: Reducing the risk of "Staphylococcus aureus" infection in those undergoing surgery would be of great benefit and an important step in preventing methicillin resistant "Staphyloccus aureus" infections. The Department is currently part-funding work through the national vaccine evaluation consortium on the use of a vaccine against "Staphylococcus aureus" prior to elective surgery.

NHS Bank

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much (a) the NHS bank has lent to each NHS organisation and (b) has been repaid in each year since the bank's inception.

John Hutton: The NHS bank provides special assistance to support the most financially challenged strategic health authorities (SHAs). The amounts are shown in the table.
	The amount allocated in 2002–03 is not repayable. The allocations in 2003–04 and 2004–05 are repayable, subject to abatements, as either capital or revenue beginning 2006–07. However, Kent and Medway SHA plans to make a repayment of £7.7 million from its capital allocations in this financial year.
	
		Distribution of special assistance funding—2002–03 to 2004–05 £ million
		
			 SHA 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 25 0 0 
			 Thames Valley 0 25 10 
			 Kent and Medway 0 17 0 
			 Surrey and Sussex 30 40 20 
			 Avon, Gloucester and Wiltshire 45 70 40 
			 Total 100 152 70

Nottingham, North

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes have been made available in local health services in Nottingham North constituency since June 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The following changes have been made available in local health services in Nottingham North constituency since June 1997.
	Trent Strategic Health Authority (SHA)—Trent Access and Choice Pilot (TRAC):
	Trent SHA is a pilot site for introducing choice ahead of national time scales.
	TRAC is working with three general practitioner practices, including one in Nottingham. From July 2003, the pilots have been offering a choice to patients on the waiting list for cataract operations. Initially this is a choice of national health service trusts and agreements are being reached with local trusts to provide extra clinics on a trial basis for TRAC.
	The cost of TRAC is as follows: £10.8 million in 2004–04 and £1.8 million in 2004–05. This covers all 19 primary care trusts (PCTs) in the Trent SHA area. Nottingham PCTs received £1,890,234 in 2003–04 and £541,000 in 2004–05.
	Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust:
	Ear, nose and throat/ophthalmology unit opened in 2001 (£18.5 million).
	Accident and emergency department expanded and modernised in 2003 (£6.3million).
	Maternity unit modernised and refurbished in 2003 (£1.45million).
	Patient advice and liaison service (PALS) set up in 2003 (£100,000).
	PALS staffing (£74,500).
	Simulation and clinical skills centre opened in 2004 (£2.48million).
	New acute medicine unit opened in December 2004, offering more efficient patient care in improved surroundings. (£1 million).
	New magnetic resonance imaging scanner operational in 2004 (£1 million).
	Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust:
	Extension of cardiac surgery unit—extension of existing services in 1997 (£250,000).
	New high dependency unit—new service—opened 2000 (£980,00).
	Re-provision of the endoscopy unit—to existing service—opened in 2001 (£3.1 million).
	New orthopaedic pre-operative assessment suite—new service—opened in 2002 (£500,000).
	Re-provision of the breast unit, which opened in 2003 (£5.2million).
	Modernise and refurbishment of hospital laundry—opened in 2002 (£1 million).
	Two cardiac catheter labs—one temporary—opened in 2002 and 2003 at a combined cost of £1.5 million.
	Extension to the dialysis unit opened 2003 (£900,000).
	Upgrade and expansion of the hospital kitchen opened in 2003 (just under £1 million).
	New clinical haematology wards opened in 2003 (£1.8 million). New clinical haematology unit to replace and combine existing adult services located across two hospitals. Due to open January 2006 (£9.2million).
	Three linear accelerator machines (£850,000 each). Two were funded by the new opportunities fund money and the third by central funds. Two machines were replacements for existing facilities and one was an additional machine.
	New coronary heart disease unit to replace existing facilities due to open July 2005 (£20.8 million).
	New urology unit to replace existing facilities due to open July 2005 (£8.2 million).
	Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust:
	Demolition of Strelley Ward due to start at the beginning of February, and new build over the next few years will see the provision of new mental health services. This is a £20 million project due for completion in early 2009.
	Broxtowe and Hucknall PCT:
	Choice at the point of referral has been offered to patients for ophthalmology and orthopaedics since autumn 2004. Choice will be rolled out to other specialities over the course of 2005 in line with national targets.
	In the autumn of 2004, a new community based echo service was launched (joint effort by four Greater Nottingham PCTs—Broxtowe and Hucknall PCT, Gedling PCT, Nottingham City PCT and Rushcliffe PCT).
	June 2004, a pilot service began for patients who presented at hospital with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease—admissions are being prevented as early nurse assessments are leading to discharge and receipt of a community based pulmonary rehabilitation service.
	Walk in Centre:
	Nottingham walk-in centre opened in June 2000. (£1.2 million annual budget—includes all staffing, service provision costs, and patient care).
	Dental Access Centre (DAC):
	A DAC was opened in Nottingham City PCT in 2001. (This cost comes under the walk-in centre figure above).
	Personal dental services (PDS)— field sites:
	Two PDSs also opened in Nottingham in January 2004, at Broxtowe and Hucknall and Rushcliffe (£142,000). This cost includes a total of six pilot sites in Rushcliffe (£3,000 of modernisation agency funding for information technology).
	Independent Sector Treatment Centre:
	Based at Barlborough (junction 30 of the M1). An interim service is being provided from Bassetlaw and Ilkeston Hospital, which commenced in April 2004. The full service from the new facility is due to commence in May 2005. (£90 million over a five year contract period).
	Pharmacy Information:
	Since 1997–98, five pharmacies have opened in the Nottingham area (local information at this level is not available centrally).

Patient Litigation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  on behalf of how many patients legal action has been taken against (a) individuals and (b) institutions under the remit of his Department in (i) Romford, (ii) the London borough of Havering, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Essex and (v) England in each of the last seven years;
	(2)  how many patients have suffered from medical negligence by NHS staff in (a) Romford, (b) the London borough of Havering, (c) Greater London, (d) Essex and (e) England in each of the last seven years.

Rosie Winterton: The National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHSLA) records the number of clinical negligence claims made against NHS institutions and bodies, which are vicariously liable for the negligent acts and omissions of their employees.
	Table 1 shows the number of clinical negligence claims made in each year, from 1997–98 to 2003–04, in Romford, Havering, London, Essex and England.
	Table 2 shows the number of clinical negligence claims in which damages were awarded for the same years and areas.
	
		Table 1: Number of claims
		
			  Notification year 
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 Total 
		
		
			 Romford 39 26 34 41 28 38 38 244 
			 Havering 39 26 34 41 31 38 40 249 
			 London 518 661 777 755 834 811 727 5,083 
			 Essex 114 122 115 146 145 149 150 941 
			 England 4,116 5,043 5,410 5,903 6,249 5,834 4,946 37,501 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Claims where damages were awarded
		
			  Notification year 
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 Total 
		
		
			 Romford 16 16 22 16 14 15 2 102 
			 Havering 16 16 22 16 14 15 2 102 
			 London 259 329 363 353 352 261 150 2,067 
			 Essex 53 57 59 74 66 54 43 406 
			 England 1852 2,130 2,329 2,394 2,380 1,666 922 13,673 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Information is not held on claims made against individuals outside of the NHSLA arrangements. For example, where individuals, such as general practitioners, are covered by private indemnity arrangements.
	2. The NHSLA does not record whether non-clinical negligence claims are made by patients. Information can only be provided on the basis of claims by patients for clinical negligence.
	3. Figures for Romford are for claims attributed to Harold Wood hospital and Old Church hospital. Figures for Havering are for claims attributed to Harold Wood Hospital, Old Church hospital and Havering primary care trust. Figures for Essex cover bodies and institutions under Essex Strategic Health Authority (SHA). Figures for London cover bodies and institutions under the five London SHAs. Figures for England cover all bodies and institutions in England.

Secure Psychiatric Beds

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many secure psychiatric beds have been available in each of the last eight years.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the average daily number of available beds and their occupancy levels in secure mental illness wards in England in each of the last eight years is shown in the following table.
	
		Average daily number of available and occupied beds, open overnight in secure mental illness wards in England
		
			  Available beds Occupied beds Percentage of occupancy 
		
		
			 1996–97 1,1575 1,414 89.8 
			 1997–98 1,921 1,566 81.5 
			 1998–99 1,747 1,578 90.3 
			 1999–2000 1,882 1,750 92.9 
			 2001–02 1,848 1,699 92.0 
			 2002–03 2,064 1,867 90.5 
			 2003–04 2,557 2,368 92.6 
		
	
	Source:
	Hospital Activity Statistics www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/

Smoking Ban

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of pubs in the (a) Northern region and (b) Tees Valley area which serve food which will cease to do so when the smoking ban is implemented.

Melanie Johnson: In the White Paper we estimated that 10 to 30 per cent. of pubs in England might fall into the category of "do not prepare food". A regional breakdown of this figure has not been made. We believe that with food providing an increasing proportion of most pubs' turnovers, it is reasonable for the Government to proceed on the assumption that it makes good business sense for pub owners to continue to serve food. We will consult widely on this area in drawing up the detailed legislation.